Following Germany's surrender, it was decided to convene a conference in Berlin with the United States, England, and the USSR to address and find solutions for peaceful resolution in Europe.

The conference held in Potsdam near Berlin, with leaders from the USSR, the USA, and England, was commonly known as the Potsdam Conference or "Terminal". The conference occurred from July 17 to August 2, 1945, with Stalin, Churchill, and Truman leading the discussions. Churchill was later replaced by C. Attlee, the Labor Party leader who had recently won the elections.

The conference focused on post-war Europe and planning peace treaties with former enemy states. The heads of state formed the Council of Foreign Ministers with representatives from the USA, England, USSR, France, and China. Their primary objective was to draft peace treaties.

Germany was the focal point of discussion at the conference, with the leaders of the Allied Powers agreeing on political and economic principles for dealing with the country. Key tenets included demilitarization and democratization of Germany. Germany had to undergo complete disarmament and demilitarization, discontinuing all military industry, dismantling the National Socialist party, and transitioning German society to a democratic foundation for peaceful collaboration. The control mechanism in Germany was to be implemented by the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the four countries.

The conference discussed the compensation owed by Germany, and a particular agreement was signed regarding the payment. The decision of the Crimean Conference served as the foundation for this matter. The Soviet Union acquired industrial equipment from its occupation zone through reparations and 25 percent of key industrial equipment from the western zones. The United States, England, and other countries pressed for reparations to be paid from the Western occupation zones and German assets overseas.

During the conference, it was decided to allocate the German navy and merchant fleet among the three powers. German naval ships were to be distributed and completed by February 15, 1946. Britain demanded that the majority of Germany's U-boats be destroyed. The transfer of merchant ships would occur after the war with Japan ended. Following the Potsdam conference, the Königsberg district was granted to the USSR.

The state border issue of Poland was settled during the conference, with the border between Poland and Germany established along the Oder and West Neisse rivers. Additionally, a portion of East Prussia and the city of Danzig were transferred to Poland. As part of the agreement, the Allies determined to relocate a segment of the German population from Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Hungary to Germany.

By the conference’s decision, the International Military Tribunal was established to punish war criminals.
 
During the Potsdam Conference, there were intense debates regarding the possibility of peace agreements with European countries that had supported Germany during the war and their inclusion in the United Nations. Ultimately, a treaty known as the "Conclusion of Peace Treaties and Admission to the United Nations Organization" was signed. This agreement outlined the need for peace treaties to be established with Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, Romania, and Hungary, and their potential membership in the UN.

The proposal to establish a temporary navigation authority to address navigation issues in the Danube and Rhine rivers was presented to the Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers.

During the conference, the topic of Turkey and the potential for a Soviet base in the Black Sea Straits was discussed. The USSR believed the border between the two countries following the Russian Civil War was unfair, but suggestions for Soviet bases and border changes were ultimately turned down.

The conference covered topics such as the international zone of Tangier, internal transportation in Europe, the removal of troops from Iran, and various other issues.

At the conference, a declaration was signed on July 26 by the United States, England, and China calling on Japan to cease resistance and surrender. The USSR delegation received a copy of the declaration for information and the Soviet government also joined on August 8. Following the Potsdam conference, on August 1, the three heads of state signed the protocol and information regarding the conference. Additionally, the French government joined in on the main agreements adopted in Potsdam.

The conference held significant historical importance, emphasizing the eradication of German militarism and Nazism for security in Europe. It stressed building interstate relations on principles of sovereignty, national independence, equal rights, non-interference in internal affairs, and democratic values. The decisions made at the Potsdam conference were crucial for the post-war peaceful resolution in Europe and globally.

Recommended literature:

1. Məmmədov, Çingiz İsaq oğlu. Beynəlxalq münasibətlər tarixi : müasir dövr: dərs vəsaiti / Ç. İ. Məmmədov ; elmi red. M. N. Quluzadə ; Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti yanında Dövlət İdarəçilik Akademiyası. I hissə : Yalta-Potsdam sistemi : 1945-1991-ci illər: mühazirələr kursu. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2021. - 584 s.
2. Babaoğlu, Hikmət. Dünya siyasəti və beynəlxalq münasibətlər : dərslik / H. Babaoğlu ; elmi red. Ə. M. Həsənov. - Bakı : Çinar-Çap, 2010. - 568 s.
3. Baxışov, Məmmədağa Ələkbər oğlu. Beynəlxalq münasibətlər tarixi : 1918-2003-cü illər: dərs vəsaiti / M. Ə. Baxışov ; red. M. B. Fətəliyev. - III nəşri. - Bakı: AzTU, 2012. - 408 s.